Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-03
TIE LABOR QUESTION.
ATTITUDE OF rag DEMOCRATIC ARD
REPUBLICAN PARTIES
history Of the Labor Legislation Cf Con-
grsss Who are the Friends OF
tho Wage-Worker


ton of laboring men attests the lively
interest which the emocratic party has
taken at every step in that progress.
The platforms OF the Republican and
Democratic parties in 1880 are in strong
contrast upon all questions relating to
the trials and vexaiions of labor and Ia
boring men. The Republican platform
OF 1880, while keeping alive every sec
tional issue between North and South
and devoting its resolutions TO the cause
of the negroes at the South and against
the "solid South had not one word in
behalf of labor or laboring men. The
Democratic party, on the other hand,
avOwed itself TO be "the friend OF labor
and the laboring man" and pledged IT
self to his protection That pledge was
carried into practical effect upon the or
ganization of the Forty-eighth Congress
by the immediate amendment Of the
rules of the House and the creation of a
new standing cOmmittee-the Committee
on Labor-to which was to be referred
all proposed legislation affecting the
working classes This was the first le-
gislstiye recognition Of lubor and labor
ing men under the United States Gov
crnment by any party, and was hailed
by workingmen throughout the country
as an evidence of the friendliness of the
Democratic party 10 the cause OF labor.
THE FIRST HOUSE COMMITTEE OF LABOR
was organized by Speaker Carlisle, and
composed of such friends of labor
among the members OF the House as
the organizations Of labor indicated and
approved. Mr.. O'NeiI, Of Missouri, a
Democrat and mechanic, was made
chairman Mr. Foran, Of Ohio, n cooper
10y trade Mr. Lowering, of Massachu-
sets, the present Democratic candidate
for Governor, practical mechanic from
the shoe. shops of Lynn Mr.. Weaver, OF
Iowa, formerly the Labor-Grcenback
candidate for President; Mr. Grain,
of Texas, an earnest advocate OF la
Dor; MI Lawlor, labor man
from Illinois. and Mr.. Daniel, from Nr-
ginia, were the Democratic members.
and Mcssrs. James Of New York, HaS-
ner of New Hampshire, Bound Of Penn
sylvdnia, Funston Of Kansas, and
Buchanan Of New jersey, were the Re
publican members. The legislation pro-
posed by that committee comprised the
arbitration bill (H. Il. 7i70 the incOr-
pOration Of national trades union,
which became law by the approval OF
President Cleveland the bill to protect
mechanics, laborers, and servants IN
their wages (H. Il. 53l0); the convict
labor bills (u. Res. 142 and ii. Il. 1929 1;
the convict and alien-labor bill II. K.
/ 5j41,) and the imported contract-iabor
/ bill (H. K. 9232).
THE DEMANDS or THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR
at Philadelphia, September 10, 1881, lor
| the establishment of bureaus OF labor
statistics for the Incorporation of trades
: unions orders, DC. to prohibit the
/ hiring out of convict labor ; against the
importation of foreign labor under con
tract. and for the arbitration Ot queS
tons between labor and capital were all
recognized by the passage of seven dis
tinct labor bills 10y the Democratic
House of the Forty-eighth Congress,
/ while only two of those bills passed the
Republican Senate. The Democratic
Honso has passed nine bills IN the IN
terest of labor, of which only four have
passed the Republican Senate. The
( Curtin committee to inquire into and Ill
vcstigatc the long and disastrous strike
in the Gould system Of railroads was an
other and striking example OF the great
interest taken by the Democratic HOUSE
for the betterment OF the wdge-worher
THE SPECIAL MESSAGE oE president
CLEVELAND,
of date April 26, 1856, recommending th'
creation OF n commission OF labor, con
sisting of three members, who shall be
regular officers of the Government
charged, among other duties, with th'
consideration and settlement, when pos
sible. of all controversies between lnbo
and capital, " was the first executive clior
ever made in behalf of labonng men
When that message was read III the HOus
(April 26th) llr. Springer democrat
moved to refer it tothe Committee on La
Dor, with instructionstore report, by bill o
otherwise. on or before the 18th of May
but Mr.. Butterworth (Bepublican), from
Ohio. antagonized the reference to In
Committee on Labor with motion t
refer the message to the Committee G
the Whole, with n view to the certal
defeat of any legislation on labor r.
! commended by the President On Nj
Bntterworth's motion the vote stood
AYES II. composed Of Y Republican
and > Democrats nays l4S, compose
of JIG Democrats and - Republicans
which clearly shows the attitude OF til
two parties on the labor question.
The movement in favor OF the recogni
ton of the rights OF labora OF laOonn
men, which had its inception with =.
litical parties in the Democratic platlor
of 1880, was again recognized IN tn
partvs platform of 1884, when, after a
raigning the Republican party with Il
inconsistency OF protesting a desire
elevate labor, it had subjected America
workingmen to the competition oi
CONVICT AND IMPORTED CONTRACT LABo
The platform of the Democratic par
EXPRESSED its conviction that labor shou
he "fostered and cherished " by Il
; "repeal OF all laws restricting the IL
action Of labor, and the enactment
laws by which labor organizations M.
be Incorporated, and of all such lcgisl
I ton as will tend to enlighten the peop
8 as to the true relations OF capital al
: labor" The act app owed February :
/ 1885, "to prohibit the importation al
immigration of foreigners and alie
under contract or agreement to perior
labor in the United States was the d
- rect outcome ofthe Democratic platfori
and accomplished for labor aud labC
ing men the very relief asked by the res
= lutions OF the Knights of Labor at Pm
h. delphia on September 10, 1854, that t
\. importation of foreign labor und
~ ~ contract be prohibited. " The col
c. mittee on Labor in the Forty-elgh
Congress amended the act OF Februa
90, 1885, by providing that "the Sec
:. tary Of the Treasury be charged with
l. duty of executing the provisions OF
=. y, act" and authorizing him to act In &C
ID. cert with State authorities for the m'
or thorough examination Of vessels and
detection of importation OF foreign lat
under contract, and its eifectual 81
~ preston. 1t was the Republican pol
"a that ,oada the imDOrtafiOn OF fOrel